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Tag: Delhi Government

  • EEMA & NCT Government to simplify licensing events in Delhi; talks on with Maharashtra

    EEMA & NCT Government to simplify licensing events in Delhi; talks on with Maharashtra

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government has appointed a nodal officer for creation of a single-window licensing process for entertainment programmes.

     

    This has come after prolonged negotiations between the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) with the Delhi Government. 

     

    The aim was to create a conducive process for license acquisition for events in the nation’s capital.

     

    The State Government has also agreed that EEMA member companies can do ticketed events in Delhi without paying entertainment tax in advance.

     

    The decision was preceded by a series of meetings between the National Executive Committee of EEMA and the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra. 

     

    Following a detailed EEMA representation, the Chief Minister appointed a nodal officer to engage with EEMA and find solutions in the shortest possible time.

     

    Commenting on the achievement, EEMA president Sabbas Joseph said, “Through the proactive approach of the Delhi government and EEMA, positive results with regards to licensing have started to show yielding a win – win situation for the entire events and experiential marketing industry. This is a big step towards making Delhi an event-friendly city.”

     

    EEMA treasurer Rajeev Jain added, “This is indeed a big bold step by the Delhi Govt. & Dept. of Entertainment Tax. Change in the Entertainment Tax depositing framework for EEMA members is certainly a big gift to the industry and number of ticketed & corporate events in the city will see an increase. This directive is a first step to make Delhi an event-friendly city and reinforces the role of the Event Industry as a major stakeholder in the city’s growth.”

     

    Through regular interactions with the Delhi Government and Commissioner – Excise, Entertainment & Luxury Tax, the following directives have been issued:

     

    Ticketed Events in Delhi

     

    ?  EEMA members will now be able to organize their ticketed events in Delhi without submitting any entertainment tax before the event.

     

    ?  Tax as per the ticket sale can be deposited after the completion of the event. Earlier this was to be done prior to ticket selling permissions being given.

     

    ?  To facilitate this arrangement, EEMA shall enter into an MOU with the Department of Entertainment Tax.

     

    ?  EEMA similarly would formulate guidelines for its members availing of this facility.

     

    ?  EEMA will also be submitting a Bank Guarantee of a stipulated amount as a surety on behalf of its members.

     

    Licensed Auditoriums under single window clearance

     

    ?  23 auditoriums in the city have been issued a permanent license for holding an event. More such venues are under consideration.

     

    Single Window Clearance: Reducing Licensing Hurdles

     

    ?  The government is in the process of bringing Entertainment Tax, Fire, Municipal authorities and Electricity under the purview of a single-window clearance.

     

    EEMA seeks to bring together the country’s leading event, sports management and brand activation companies, MICE and wedding planners, experiential marketers, entertainment professionals, artist management companies and international counterparts on the same platform.

     

    EEMA along with its key constituents is also engaged in similar discussions with the Maharashtra government and several other states with a view on easing the business processes and thereby generating growth in events featuring culture, music, dance, cinema and art.

  • Kejriwal govt to keep tab on news channels coverage on Delhi

    Kejriwal govt to keep tab on news channels coverage on Delhi

    NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, the Delhi Government’s Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) is to monitor content being broadcast by news channels.

     

    This follows instructions from the Delhi chief minister’s office.

     

    Interestingly, former chief minister Sheila Dikshit had also mooted the idea at one stage, but dropped the idea for fear of backlash from the media.

     

    The current order directs DIP officials to monitor news channels from 9 am to 11 pm.

     

    Delhi government sources said a team of three has been asked to keep tabs on news channels and send a daily report to the CMO.

     

    “Besides recording everything going on air, the team has been directed to make a brief of all news items, especially those related to Delhi and the Delhi government,” said a senior official.

     

    Over the last few days, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and party workers have accused a section of media of being anti-Aam Aadmi Party. 

  • Four MSOs levied penalty for non-payment of entertainment tax

    Four MSOs levied penalty for non-payment of entertainment tax

    NEW DELHI: Even as Siti Cable ‘vehemently’ denied any allegation of tax evasion as alleged by the Delhi Government, similar notices were issued to three other major multi-system operators (MSOs) for paying Rs 243.77 crore as dues, due to a default in payment of entertainment tax.

     

    While there was no official word from either IndusInd Media and Communications or Hathway Cable and Datacom, a source from Den Networks informed Indiantelevision.com that the action by the Delhi Government was a violation of a commitment given by it to the Delhi High Court that no coercive action would be taken during the pendency of a case challenging the levy of entertainment tax and vires of the Delhi Entertainment and Betting Tax Act 1996.

     

    The source also added that an appropriate reply would be given both to the Delhi Government and in the High Court, but said no notice had been received so far and the MSO had learnt about it only from a newspaper report.

     

    Siti Cable, which had received a similar notice for Rs 33.12 crore, had said in an official statement, that it had been depositing the entertainment tax regularly on the basis of collections. The MSO had “vehemently’ denied the allegation of tax evasion.

     

    The matter is pending vide its Writ Petition of 2014, Siti Cable had earlier said.

     

    According to reports, the charges levied on the four MSOs include a 100 per cent penalty and an interest on dues.

     

    The levy is for 2013-14 and 2014-15. Den Networks has to pay just over Rs 88.81 crore, while Hathway Cable and Datacom need to pay around Rs 59 crore, IndusInd Media and Communications has been asked to pay just under Rs 52 crore for two years.

     

    While noting that these MSOs need to file their tax every month, a Delhi Government source said that Den, Hathway and IndudsInd had between them around 2.6 million subscribers in the capital. 

  • Siti Cable denies fraud as Delhi govt levies penalty for entertainment tax evasion

    Siti Cable denies fraud as Delhi govt levies penalty for entertainment tax evasion

    NEW DELHI: While ‘vehemently’ denying any allegation of tax evasion, multi system operator (MSO) Siti Cable late on Tuesday evening said that in any case the matter was sub judice because it had challenged the levy of entertainment tax and vires of the Delhi Entertainment and Betting Tax Act 1996 in the Delhi High Court.

     

    Noting that it had been depositing the entertainment tax regularly on the basis of collections, Siti Cable also said in an official statement that “the company had not yet received any official communication/ notice about any such order being passed by the Entertainment Tax Department, Government of Delhi.”

     

    The matter is pending vide its Writ Petition of 2014, Siti Cable said. 

     

    The statement said, “The company has come to know from public sources regarding the alleged ex-parte order issued by the Delhi Government, directing Siti Cable Network Ltd. to deposit Rs 33.12 crore as outstanding entertainment tax including interest and penalty. In this context, the company vehemently denies the allegation of tax evasion and would like to clarify that it has been depositing the entertainment tax regularly on the basis of collections. It has already challenged the vires of the Delhi Entertainment and Betting Tax Act, 1996 vide its Writ Petition being No. 427 of 2014, which is subjudice before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court.”

     

    Earlier in the day, sources in the Delhi government revealed that Siti Cable Network, an Essel Group Company, with Subhash Chandra as its chairman of board of directors and CEO, had been directed to deposit Rs 33.12 crore as its outstanding entertainment tax for two years along with interest and penalty within 15 days, by 22 April.

     

    Sources said that the MSO had defaulted in payment of entertainment tax since April 2013.

     

    The company was learnt to have committed a serious illegal act of tax evasion by duping the government despite having collected the amount in the name of taxes from its innocent customers. 

     

    This company has been collecting entertainment tax from 5,36,616 customers at the rate of Rs 20 per month through local cable operators.

     

    In the financial year, 2013-14, Siti Cable was found to have collected around Rs 13 crore as entertainment tax from its customers but only deposited Rs 4.63 crore as entertainment tax for this financial year. The allegation therefore was that it had defaulted by not depositing the remaining Rs 8.32 crore, which should have been deposited on a monthly basis in the government exchequer.

     

    Taking cognizance of the fraud, the Delhi government levied a 100 per cent penalty of Rs 8.32 crore and an interest of Rs 3.06 crore under the relevant provisions of the Delhi Entertainments and Betting Tax Act 1996, sources said.

     

    The complete assessment including additional tax, penalty and interest for the financial year 2013-14 is Rs 19.71 crore.

     

    The Delhi Government alleged that the MSO had defaulted during the next financial year of 2014-15 as well. The government has assessed the tax, interest and penalty for 2014-15 at Rs 13.41 crore.